On October 8, tell Congress U.S. Mail Is Not For Sale

In Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 8), NALC, the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU) are planning to hold rallies in each congressional district to demonstrate against any effort to privatize the U.S. Postal Service. The “U.S. Mail: Not for Sale” rallies result from increased grassroots interest from communities around the country that oppose privatizing the Postal Service.

This past spring, the White House announced the formation of a postal task force to make recommendations for potential legislative and administrative actions by Aug. 10. While the report had not been released at the time this article was written, the administration tipped its hand with actions taken by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In June, OMB released a government-wide reorganization plan that called for major changes at federal agencies. Most notably, the plan called for restructuring the Postal Service before eventual privatization. This move prompted Congress to act, with the introduction of H. Res. 993, a bipartisan sense of the House of Representatives resolution that calls for the Postal Service not to be privatized.

The postal unions are working collectively with members of Congress and community allies to rally in every congressional district to highlight not only opposition to postal privatization, but to support lawmakers who stand for a public Postal Service. The NPMHU encourages mail handlers and their friends and families to participate in these rallies. For more information and to find an event near you, please visit npmhu.org.